Passive Voice Marker 'bị' — Southern Vietnamese Grammar

The word is a passive voice marker used to indicate that the subject receives an action. Crucially, is used almost exclusively when the action or event has a negative, unpleasant, or unfortunate result for the subject. It implies that the subject "suffers" or "undergoes" the action.

Basic Negative Passive

To form a passive sentence, place before the main verb. This structure emphasizes that the subject is the victim of the action.

Tui bị lạc đường.
I got lost.
Cái ly bị bể rồi.
The glass is broken already.
Ảnh bị đuổi việc.
He was fired.

Specifying the Agent

If you want to mention who or what performed the action (the agent), place the agent between and the verb. The structure is: Subject + + Agent + Verb.

Nó bị chó cắn.
He was bitten by a dog.
Tui bị mẹ la.
I was scolded by mom.
Chiếc xe bị cảnh sát phạt.
The car was fined by the police.

Expressing Negative States and Illness

is frequently used with adjectives or nouns to describe unfortunate states, malfunctions, or illnesses. In these cases, it functions similarly to "to have" or "to suffer from" in English.

Máy lạnh bị hư.
The air conditioner is broken.
Chị ấy bị bệnh.
She is sick.
Tui bị đau bụng.
I have a stomachache.

Contrast with 'Được'

Vietnamese strictly distinguishes between positive and negative passive experiences. While is used for bad events, the word is used when the subject benefits from the action or receives something good.

Nó bị chê.
He was criticized. (Negative)
Nó được khen.
He was praised. (Positive)

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Southern Vietnamese course

18 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 63. A few of them, with the words “Passive Voice Marker 'bị'” is about in bold:

Tôi cảm thấy tuyệt vời! Tôi không bị bịnh. Tôi khoẻ mạnh.
I feel great! I am not sick. I am healthy.
Lesson 64

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